Yesterday Wowow broadcast Kei vs Blake. (Yes! Two days late!)
And I was really impressed with Kei's BH. Gilbert said on Japanese TV during AO that he thinks Kei's strongest weapon is his BH and he thinks it's as good as Agassi's.
Maybe Kei's FH, which I think used to be his best shot, lost some sting since the surgery and, yes, his BH has always been good too. He hit some fantastic BH passes during the match against Blake although it has to be said Blake is now nowhere near three years ago---he's a step slower and he was hitting many errors.

Still, a good week after a mini-slump in Memphis.
Kei is not in the Japanese DC team vs the Philippines, so his next tournament is Indian Wells. Right now he's #2 on the alternate list. He's pulled out from the quallies, meaning he probably secured a WC or is pretty sure he would be able to get into MD.

02-27-2011 12:46 AM

Rafkei

Re: US Winter HC season: Delray Beach once more!

awww...sad! but it was good run Kei! Still a great job!

i officially hate Tipsy now! hahaha

02-26-2011 07:41 PM

chewy

Re: US Winter HC season: Delray Beach once more!

The first match I got to watch of Kei all week happens to be a loss, exact same scoreline as their last meeting. Tipsy wins 6-4 6-4

Too tired to elaborated on this match now, but Kei's run in Delray has ended in the SF.

“I was trying to stay calm,” said Nishikori, who made 65 percent of his first serves. “I’ve been hitting good serves this week and I’m trying to concentrate on my first serve. I’m usually a calm guy.”

Despite his success in Delray Beach and his years of training in Bradenton, Nishikori is still fairly anonymous in Florida. Not so in Japan, where his 2008 ITC title made him an instant celebrity.

“It’s totally different,” said Nishikori. “No one knows me here, so it’s much easier for me. If I stayed in Japan all the time, I might go crazy. I have to wear sunglasses and a hat, but it’s fun sometimes when everybody knows me. It’s good to be me.”

I love Kei's self-evaluations especially the last quote, he seems to have a love and hate relationship with being under the spotlight, but in a way he has found a balance which is good to hear.

Thanks for posting the articles bunny.

Looking ahead, it's an exciting challenge. But I think Tipsy's game works well against Kei, especially his sneaky-quick type of serves that Kei wasn't returning well last time they met.
I remembered Tipsy played a lot of short aggressive points making it hard for Kei to found his rhythm.
All semi-finalist are tough so hopefully Kei can serve and return well to get thru!

02-26-2011 03:27 AM

minh

Re: US Winter HC season: Delray Beach once more!

I like both Kei and Tipsy. Hope the match between them will be great. Whoerver win, that's ok with me

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. -- "Project 45" is back and, hopefully, back on track.

Who is "Project 45," you ask?

Kei Nishikori, of course.

Back when Nishikori first made his mark in 2008, he was an 18-year-old qualifier, ranked No. 244 in the world, at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships. Nobody had really ever heard of the Japanese teen, but his racket really did some serious talking.

During that week three years ago, the shy Nishikori captivated our imagination.

The Japanese youngster just kept winning and winning, eventually carving out a true "Cinderfella" story when he stunned top seed James Blake in the final to capture what remains his lone career title.

The media in attendance anxiously waited for any drop of inside info on the kid. His minders during the week -- all from the Nick Bollettieri/IMG Academy, where he has trained since he was 14 -- obliged with the scoop.

That's when they revealed that everyone at the academy referred to the teen as "Project 45." Explanation: That was the ranking that Nishikori would have to reach to become the most successful male tennis player in Japanese history. Nishikori's former coach, Shuzo Matsuoka, still bears that distinction, having attained a career-high ranking of No. 46.

Nishikori seemed a bright star on the horizon when he emerged so quickly in 2008, but sometimes the facts of life get in the way. A right elbow injury disrupted his progress. He lost the entire 2009 season, eventually having surgery in August of that year.

He spent most of 2010 on the Challenger circuit working to re-establish his career, time well spent as he climbed up 322 ranking points and back into the top 100.

Nishikori came fairly close to the project goal when he reached a career-high ranking of 56 in 2009. Now, currently ranked No. 66 in the world, he's looking to fulfill his promise.

"Yeah, that's one of my goals," Nishikori said. "It's a goal for this year, and I hope it's coming soon. It's time for me to be top 50, 45, and if I can be healthy, I can get there."

After Nishikori beat James Blake in straight sets to reach this year's Delray Beach quarterfinals Wednesday, he admitted that during the match he couldn't help thinking of his final victory over Blake three years ago.

"I have the biggest memory here, but it's a little bit changed because I have injury and couldn't play my best tennis last year," Nishikori said. "I had a long time without playing tennis. This is like a new start for me, to come back here."

Blake hasn't forgotten that match, either. He was the odds-on favorite, but says he selected a flawed strategy that led to his defeat.

"I remember I played it a little tentative thinking it was his first final and he would be a little nervous, and he definitely was not," Blake said. "He was the more aggressive player that match and going for his shots."

Now that Nishikori is healthy, he doesn't have to merely revel in past memories. He's ready to create new career highlights. And he's giving himself the best chance possible by seeking mentorship from Brad Gilbert, considered by many to be one of the great minds in the game.

Gilbert worked with Andre Agassi from 1994 to 2002, went on to coach Andy Roddick to his lone Grand Slam trophy at the 2003 U.S. Open and spent some time with Briton Andy Murray.

The deal for Nishikori to work with Gilbert for 15 weeks during this year was brokered by the IMG Academies, where Gilbert enjoys status as a guest coach and Nishikori still trains.

Nishikori, however, has known Gilbert on a more personal level from before he came to coach at the academy.

"My first contact with Brad was through his son, Zach, who was my roommate at the IMG/Bollettieri Academy for a while when I was younger," Nishikori said. "Then Brad started coming to Bradenton as a 'guest-coach' and I got to know him even better."

There are those who don't delight in Gilbert's natural gift of gab, but Nishikori isn't one of them. He's happy to be taking in every word Gilbert utters, insisting the coaching's already improved his on-court strategy and stroke development.

Nishikori even sees an extra benefit to Gilbert being a constant chatterbox.

"He's talking all day -- that's kind of new for me," said the more reserved Nishikori, smiling. "It's good, too, I think, for me to learn English."

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